Four locations recommended for rainbow crosswalk

The towns’ diversity, equity and inclusion committee has made recommendations for the location of a rainbow crosswalk.

Councillors agreed to the recommendations, but also acknowledged there is to be public consultation before making any decisions.

The diversity committee is recommending a rainbow crosswalk be located at one of four possible locations: on Niagara Stone Road at Anderson Lane; the intersection of Queen and Mississagua Streets;  the intersection of Wellington and Picton Streets; or King Street, where Ricardo Street turns into Front Street. 

The committee also recommends that “expediency of installation be a factor in the decision.”

The committee supports the idea of public consultation on the choice of one of the four locations, the minutes of their Feb. 14 meeting indicates, and also asks that the public be given an opportunity to financially sponsor the crosswalk through fundraising. 

Since the committee was tasked with considering alternatives to the proposed location of King and Queen by the Prince of Wales Hotel, the Anderson Lane location was suggested as on the route into town which greets visitors.

It was also suggested “the crosswalk be located where a lot of visitors would see it, and in an area that is identifiable as Niagara-on-the-Lake,” the committee minutes say, “to help get the message across a really broad geographic area that NOTL is an inclusive place.”

That would include Wellington and Picton Streets, where the Shaw Festival crosses over to the hospital site; the intersection of Queen and Mississagua Streets at the golf course and where the new welcome wall is going to be built; or the intersection at King and Front Streets, “where people cross to go down to the gazebo.”